3 results for tag: Youth Sexuality
Written by: Christina Martinez
May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a particularly hard month for pregnant & parenting youth as they are subject to constant reminders of the ways in which their parenthood is a burden to society, the economy, and their communities. From the start, young parents are told that their pregnancy and/or child will substantially limit their chances at any success in life, which eats away at whatever self-assuredness they might posses. Parenting on it’s own is hard, but parenting while being bombarded with negative messaging is debilitating to our communities. Add to that the enormous pressure of saving face ...
When the new NYC teen pregnancy prevention ad campaign came out, all of us at the CLRJ office took a collective sigh. We know that the targeting of this “shame game” is strategic, not new, and we also know that it probably won’t just happen in New York. Time and time again, pregnant and parenting youth are seen as society’s “failures,” “unfit caregivers” and “bad” influences on other youth. However, here at CLRJ, our work with our Justice for Young Families Initiative has proven the opposite. We’ve heard stories from pregnant and parenting youth that the birth of their child has motivated them to continue striving and focus on ...
By Ena Suseth Valladares- CLRJ Director of Research
Where is the love for our youth?
Today whether we partake in the love festivities or not, let us all reflect upon what it would mean to show true love for all our youth – particularly when it comes to supporting and respecting their sexuality.
Youth sexuality is not a crisis or a problem – the problem lies with adults who are uncomfortable with the idea that young people engage in partnered sexual activities and as a result of this, create systems that hinder youth’s healthy sexual development. Whatever our perspectives may be on what young people should or should not be doing ...
